505 SANSOME RECEIVES COVETED LEED® PLATINUM CERTIFICATION

The U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) just awarded 505 Sansome Street, part of the Transamerica Pyramid Center, the highest certification in environmental sustainability – LEED® Platinum. The building, which was built in 1981 and is one of the few open-air buildings in San Francisco, underwent an in-depth review and received certification after scoring high marks in the following areas:

Achieved an ENERGY STAR rating of 95.

Water Efficiency: Achieved a 37 percent indoor water use reduction, which is a calculated water savings of 683,000 gallons per year, based on LEED criteria and a theoretical baseline of typical water usage.

Reduced Mercury: LED Lamp purchases produced a significant reduction by more than half in the levels of Mercury from the building’s previous LEED Gold certification in 2009.

Transportation: A 75 percent alternative commutership record among tenants was achieved, including the use of BART, Muni, walking, biking, or High Efficiency vehicles.

With an Energy Use Intensity (EUI) of 116 (reduced from 140), 505 Sansome uses considerably less energy than the median national average for a building of similar size and use, which translates to more than $478,000 in avoided energy costs.

Janitorial purchases were 86 percent sustainable by cost.

Building Management System (BMS): BMS has allowed for better control of the HVAC system by having programmable set points for heating and cooling, as well as better control of the boiler system.

Heat pumps have been replaced with new models that offer the highest Energy Efficiency Ratio possible. This reduces the energy consumption needed to provide tenant office comfort.

Prior lighting control systems were replaced with local motion sensor lighting controls. This reduces the amount of time the lights remain on in unoccupied spaces and greatly reduces energy consumption.

A waste diversion rate of 58 percent was achieved and included composting, recycling and reduction of the waste stream.

Providing indoor bike parking as well as indoor locker room and shower facilities.

“We place a high priority on environmental sustainability for all of our properties,” said Mark Novack, Real Estate Portfolio Manager for Aegon USA Realty Advisors LLC, an affiliate of Transamerica Pyramid Properties, LLC, the owner of the Pyramid Center. “The hard work and commitment by the Cushman & Wakefield management team, as well as our partners at BuildingWise have resulted in the LEED Platinum certification for 505 Sansome, as well as the adjacent Transamerica Pyramid’s certification in 2011.”

505 Sansome at Transamerica Pyramid Center is a 20-story, 185,000 square foot office building offering a fresh air design with Redwood Park access, City views from the upper floors, and rare, open air balconies for a health-conscious workplace. The building was designed by famed architect of the Transamerica Pyramid, William Pereira, and continues to enjoy a more than 90 percent occupancy rate. LEED Platinum PDF